


Family Doesn't Betray Family

by riddleb9y



Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, BAMF Alfred Pennyworth, Background Relationships, Bad Parent Talia al Ghul, Bruce Wayne is Bad at Feelings, Complicated Relationships, Damian Wayne is Bad at Feelings, Gen, Good Older Sibling Tim Drake, Good Parent Talia al Ghul, Hurt Damian Wayne, Jason Todd & Damian Wayne Bonding, Multi, Other, Protective Jason Todd, Tim Drake & Damian Wayne Bonding, Tim Drake & Damian Wayne Get Along, Tim Drake Has Abandonment Issues, Tim Drake Has a Bad Time, Tim Drake and Damian Wayne Fight, its complicated, no beta we die like robins
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-06
Updated: 2020-09-06
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:55:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,772
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26323006
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/riddleb9y/pseuds/riddleb9y
Summary: Tim and Damian argue over Talia.
Relationships: Alfred Pennyworth & Damian Wayne, Alfred Pennyworth & Jason Todd, Jason Todd & Damian Wayne, Selina Kyle/Bruce Wayne, Talia al Ghul & Damian Wayne
Comments: 4
Kudos: 240





	Family Doesn't Betray Family

**Author's Note:**

> ive been doing alot of short vent oneshots

He'd never wanted siblings. He didn't need four brothers and two sisters. He didn't want a big family with a father, a stepmother, and dedicated grandfather.

Sometimes Damian wishes to be young again. He wishes to be four and to hover behind his mother while observing. He misses her voice, her pride and hope in him. Because while Damian had joined the Wayne family, he also had spent the first decade of his life being raised and trained by his single mother.

As an Al Ghul, Talia was harsher than Bruce. She didn't accept limits; She pushed them to strengthen Damian. Bruce wouldn't push, but he acted so disappointed that Damian pushed himself. Because of the similarity, Damian never really saw why his new family hated her, minus his whole death experience.

Perhaps if they knew her without the rage of the Lazarus Pit running through her veins, they'd understand. He can still picture her standing at the window seal of Damian's old room at the League. Humming a song as Damian drew or polished his weaponry. It was best when they were quiet. No arguments or expectations. She was present and unexpecting at those time; They were the greatest gift she'd ever given him.

And now one of his brothers, Drake, is setting fire to his mother's honor. Yelling at Damian that he was abused and that he should have never let Talia get away. That Damian was a traitor and screaming this all while the rest of the family doesn't say a word. They're there, witnessing the weakness of his mother. Or the memories of who she was for him if only for a short while. 

It's those memories that make torturing Timothy oh so tempting right now.

"You know nothing, Drake! Capturing her would not have benefited us, and she wasn't threatening anyone!" Damian yelled, wishing he hadn't taken off his mask because of how wet his eyes are growing.

Tim smirks at him with pity, "how would you know? They've been brainwashing you since infancy! You died and you think bringing her in wouldn't have benefited anyone? That taking her down wouldn't have given anyone closure?"

"Guys can we please just-"

"Shut it, Richard." Damian means to sound demanding, but the words are lacking. All he's certain of is that this discussion doesn't need an audience or interference. 

Not trying to diffuse the argument anymore, Dick takes a step back. Bruce and Selina are looking more and more uncomfortable, but Steph and Jason look pissed off.

Striding up to Damian and looking the younger vigilante in the eyes, Tim continues his rant. "You shouldn't have come tonight. You're too involved,"

"With my mother?" He inwardly cringes at how meek he sounds. Clenching his fist, Damian shakes his head. "I can't help but to feel indebted to the woman who raised me no matter how often it's complained upon. She did her best, and I will not betray her just as I wouldn't betray you." 

The room remains silent as Damian turns and walks out of the Cave. Alfred will be upset that Damian hasn't changed from his uniform, but the younger boy doesn't care. All he can think about is the fact that he and his mother share the same green eyes and many other features. He is the Blood Son and Demon Head. He is Talia's son and in adjusting to life as Damian Wayne, he seems to have forgotten that.

He wants his mom to come and take him away for a while. To tell him that he is her greatest treasure; She'll never come. Maybe ten years ago when he was four, but not now. Not when he has a giant family with six other kids, a step mother, his father and Alfred. Damian left her behind and is lost on the long list of Bruce Wayne's priorities. 

…..

Sure, Tim feels shitty. But Damian had let Talia get away, and his guilt could be covered up with frustration. 

"That was an asshole move, Tim."

"Jason-" Bruce tries to interfere, but Stephanie is already there.

"Tim's right! Damian was reckless and could have gotten himself, or anyone else hurt." She roughly ran a hand through her hair. "He was being biased and reckless."

Jason bitterly laughs, which makes Dick's pulse race. He's overly familiar with how Jason is with his emotions. He's switch between beginning unattached or angry. But to Dick's surprise, Jason replies in an even tone. As if he's discreetly begging Tim to listen instead of overheating and ranting on or leaving out the back door.

Jason looks at his dad, whose tense shoulders have slumped into a powerless position. Why can't Bruce ever talk about this crap? Why can't the World's Greatest Detective see the most obvious faults in his own sons? "She's all he had, and he wants her love the same way any kid would." 

Giving none of them a chance to respond, Jason walks off in the same direction Damian left. Because someone has to understand that kid and Jason, although not a martyr, will try his best.

…..

The scene Jason walks in on is familiar. He too has found that Alfred's shoulder is great for crying on. Before Dick had warmed up to Jason and Bruce was still unattached from his second son, he would cry to the older man for hours. Sniffling about relevant and irrelevant things after punching walls so hard that his knuckles broke. 

Now it's Damian who is hiccuping into the older man's pristine vest without even registering Jason. Without words, Jason joins the hug and winces as the crying grows louder. No thirteen-year-old should have to deal with a literal war between his shitty parents. Alfred likely feels the same because even though the older man hadn't heard what Tim had said. He had known Talia was in Gotham and had even questioned why Damian was joining them before patrol had begun.

When the sobs quieted down again, Damian pulled away before speaking in a muffled voice. "I apologize for wetting your shirt."

Alfred, having raised enough children, replied easily. "That's alright, Master Damian. At least there isn't any mascara this time around."

Ruffling little brother's hair, Jason snorts. "That had to have been Dickie or Steph, right? Cass doesn't wear much makeup."

"Master Timothy." 

Damian scrunched his nose at the name and his eyes started watering again. Knowing that, recently, Damian and Tim have been getting along, Jason can only imagine how the Demon Brat feels about Tim accusing him of betrayal.

"Drake is upset with me," He tells Alfred stoically despite his damp cheeks. "I allowed my mother to leave like a fool."

Unimpressed by the fifth Robin's self-deprecation, the butler places a hand on Damian's shoulder. "I assure you that your brother is only being protective of your well being. However, he, like your father, isn't the greatest at doing so."

Nodding in agreement, Jason adds his two cents. "He doesn't want to lose you again Dames."

A cough from the doorway startles them, minus Alfred. Tim is standing there, showered, and changed. His appearance is considerably cooler and guiltier than before.

"Can I talk to him?"

When Jason tensed and Alfred arched his eyebrow, Tim knew he'd fucked up worse than he'd thought.

"I suppose Master Timothy. But please use tolerable communication, both of you." With his sharp accent, Alfred beckoned Jason to leave the two be. "Come now master Jason, no need for fuss."

Alfred leads his second oldest grandson away while Jason gives Tim a warning look saying 'don't fuck it up'. 

When the two are finally out of earshot, Tim walks to where Jason had sat before. Damian refuses to make eye contact. 

"I'm sorry. I was being a jerk." He mumbles, glancing down at the younger vigilante. He takes a brief note to how red Damian's eyes are. How their usual green has become murky. 

Those eyes glance up at him. Damian is torn down the middle, half wanting to accept the apology, the other half needing to push Tim away. They've all fallen victim to their emotions, Damian included, and have said horrible things. But this was about Talia and not Damian, and perhaps it'd be easier to decide if Damian knew how he felt about his own actions tonight.

The lack of response stirs Tim to continue his apology. "I'm just frustrated because I was there. Or I was around when she," Practically murdered her son. "The last time. And we got you back. But, that could not be the case if it happens again. And I've been taking a shot at this big brother shit and you're becoming less homicidal and she could end all of that. I know you love her in your own way-"

A hand clamps over Tim's mouth and Damian is staring at him with furrowed eyebrows. "You're rambling, Timothy."

The first name, that's good. Tim knows that if Damian was really upset, he'd refer to him as Drake. Although now Tim was confused on why Damian was acting the way he was. He was vulnerable even though Damian prided himself on never stooping to such levels. Damian's voice breaks the silence. 

"I'm sorry if my actions tonight offended you. I am," Damian pauses as if he wants to shut up about the whole thing. Meanwhile, Tim prays he doesn't because they don't need two Bruces around. "I want to keep them separate. Talia doesn't belong in Gotham. I thought it best to let her leave without force or casualties."

And Tim's anger from the cave began resurfacing at the words, now directed toward Talia. He can't formulate any words that stand a chance against the confession, so he just hugs his little brother. Tightly and against his chest until Tim isn't sure he's breathing. Damian is awkwardly molded into his brother's arms but doesn't pull away. 

"You're a good kid, Damian. I know you wouldn't betray us."

"Then why did you-"

"Because you're just a stupid kid. Like all of us were." 

When Damian had first died, Tim had cried, because watching robins fall tears into him as no one could understand. He wasn't even and Bat when Jason had died, but he'd been left in pieces. The same when Dick and Steph left. Because Batman dies with every forgotten Robin and Tim can't live through that. Not again. Not when Damian is his little brother who still has to get through puberty. Because, this kid has his whole life coming.

"I'll do better, Damian. Just stay alive. Please."

"Tt. Without me, all of you would become simpletons."

**Author's Note:**

> i really think that damian and tim grow attached to each other over time 
> 
> kudos and comments will always and forever be amazing and thanks to everyone who has left them on my other works!!!!! ya'll motivate me <3


End file.
